Alexander BALCOM Sr. (c. 1630 – 1711) was Alex’s 9th Great Grandfather, one of 1,024 in this generation of the Shaw line.

Alexander Balcom – Coat of Arms

Alexander Balcom Sr was born about 1630 in Balcombe, Sussex, England. Birth was possibly in Sussex or in Holland as his family is en route to New England. The name of his first WIFE is not known. The first record of Alexander Balcom in New England was in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, where he was the tenant of a house in 1661. There is no record of his immigration. He married Mrs. Jane Holbrook Albee around 1676 in Providence, Rhode Island. Alexander died 4 May 1711 at Smithfield, RI.. His will was dated 31 May 1711 The inventory of his personal estate was 35 pounds, 4 shillings, 7d.

Alexander Balcom was born in the village of Balcombe, Sussex, England

Jane Holbrook was born about 1647 in Weymouth, Norfolk, MA. Her parents were Capt. William Holbrook and Elizabeth Pitts. Her grandparents were our ancestors Thomas HOLBROOK and Jane POWYES. She first married John Albee on 18 Oct 1671 in Medfield, Norfolk, MA and had one child, John Albee, born about 1673 in Mendon. John Albee Sr. (Albree) was killed 14 July 1675 at during the Indian attack at Mendon, MA. Jane died between 1696 – 1711.

Balcom can also be spelled Bolkcom, Balckom, Balkcom, Balkcon, Bolchum, Bolckcum, Bolckom, Bolckum, Bolcom, Bolkcome, Bolkcon, Bolkcum, and Bolkom. A puritanical streak caused them to cut out the superfluities, and Balcombe in England became Balcom in America.

Alexander Balcom was a stone mason like his son.

Alexander Balcom was born in England about 1630. He settled in the colony of Rhode Island in New England when a young man. He was a mason by trade. He resided first in Portsmouth, then in Providence. He was deputy to the Rhode Island general assembly from the town of Providence in 1683. He bought a tract of land, July 14, 1686, twelve miles north of Providence. He died May 4, 1711. His will was proved July 18, 1711; he bequeathed to wife Jane and all his children.

c. 1650 Rhode Island, a mason and farmer

31 Jan. 1664 – Alexander is recorded as an inhabitant of Portsmouth, Rhode Island

14 Jul 1664 – He purchased from Nathan Payne, all his interest in a tract of land called “Wesquodonsett” located about twelve miles north of Providence.

1683 Providence, Rhode Island, USA, He served in the Rhode Island Legislature.

14 July 1686 Alexander purchased a tract of land about 12 miles north of Providence, Wesquodomsett, Rhode Island, from Nathan Payne

26 May 1691 – Alexander was granted fifty acres of land located near the colony line and ten mile hill at Rehoboth (Rehoboth Proprietor’s Records vol. 2, p.199.)

His will was proved 31 May 1711. The inventory of his personal estate was £35 4s 7d.

“To Alexander, oldest son, two shillings in money, which with what I have already given him, is a competent portion. Item – To Katharine Jencks, who is my eldest daughter, thirty shillings in money, which is, with what she has already received from me, a competent portion, and all I think meet to bestow to her. Item – To Sarah Shelding, (Sheldon,) my second daughter, two shillings with what she hath received, &c. Item – To John, who is my second son, – after my own and my wife’s deceace – all my dwelling house, and all my lands with the town of Providence. Item – To Freegift, my third son, two shillings, with what I have already given, &c. Item – I give and bequathe to my five younger children, that is to say, Joseph, Hannah, Sam’l Deborah and Lydia, all the remainder of my estate, consisting of moveable at the time of my deceace, – to be equally divided among them, – to be paid unto them and every of them their portions as soon as they shall arrive at lawful age, by my Executors. And I do nominate and appoint my beloved wife, Jane, and John my second son, to be my Executors to this my last will and testament. And I do hereby desire and impower Joseph Jencks, jun., and James Brown to be overseers to this my last will, &c.

Alexander Balkam immigrant ancestor, settled at Portsmouth and Providence. Rhode Island, and became a leading citizen of his day. He was in Portsmouth as early as 31 Jan 1664, and was probably born as early as 1635. He was a mason by trade. He was deputy to the general assembly in 1683 from Providence. He bought a tract of land twelve miles north of Providence, July 14, 1686, of Nathan Payne. He died May 4, 1711, and his will was proved July 18, 1711. His estate was settled by his widow Jane and son John, executors. His will mentions his children by name. He married Jane, daughter of William and Elizabeth Holbrook. Children: 1. Alexander, mentioned below. 2. Catherine, married Daniel Jenckes, born April 19, 1663, son of Joseph and Elizabeth Jenckes. 3. Sarah, married Timothy Sheldon, son of John; four children. 4. John, married Sarah liartlett, born 1678, died January 30, 1739; resided at Providence and Smithfield, Rhode Island, and kept a tavern; names various relatives in his will. 5. Freegift, was insane at time of Joseph’s death. 6. Joseph, born in Portsmouth, about 1660; removed to Mendon, Massachusetts, later to Douglas; married Phebe . 7. Hannah, married, February 22, 1716, Ebcnezer Hayward; four children. 8. Samuel. 9. Deborah. 10. Lydia, married, April 14. 1701, Daniel Hix, born 1660; died March 21, 1746; five children.

Children

1. Katherine Balcom

Katherine’s first husband Isaac Allen was born about 1642 in Rehoboth, Bristol, Mass. His parents were John Allen and Christian Bacon. His grandparents were our ancestors George ALLEN and Katherine [WATTS?]. He first married 30 May 1673 in Rehoboth to Mary Bowen (b. 18 Jan 1652 in Rehoboth – d. 20 Aug 1678) Mary’s parents were Obidiah Bown and Mary Clifton. Isaac and Mary had one son Isaac Jr (b. 1674). Isaac died 3 Dec 1692 in Swansea, Bristol, Mass.

Katherine’s second husband Daniel Jenckes was born 19 Apr 1663 in Lynn,Essex,Mass. His parents were Joseph Jenckes and Elizabeth [__?__] Daniel Jenckes was the town clerk of Attleboro in 1699, and served as selectman from 1697 until 1704. Daniel died in Mar 1736 in Cumberland, Providence, Rhode Island.

Sarah’s husband Timothy Sheldon was born 29 Mar 1661 in Providence, Providence, RI. His parents were John Sheldon and Joan Vincent. Timothy died 31 Mar 1744 in Johnson, Providence, RI.

18 May 1685 – Know yee That I the said John Sheldon …have freely …Giuven …..unto my Eldest son Timothey Sheldon ….. sixty acres of upland with all the benefitts, privetidges & Appertenances thereof.. The said SL’Cty acres ofland tieing in ye said towne of Providence, & about foure miles in distance from the said towne westerly, and on ye southerne part of ye Hill called Sichamachute hill: …

John’s wife Sarah Bartlett was born 21 Oct 1690 in Rehoboth, Bristol, Mass. Her parents were John Bartlett and Alice [__?__]. Sarah died 19 Nov 1756. According to A First Book of the Balcombe Family, page 28. John and Sarah had no children.

John kept a public house (tavern) in Smithfield, on the road from Providence to Woonsocket. It was licensed August 25, 1735. The business was discontinued after his death. The tavern stood on the estate owned in 1901 by Dwight Hammond.

Will of John Balcom, interesting for giving his negro servant £100, more than three times as much as his wife received and setting him free. Our ancestor Alexander BALCOM must have been his favorite nephew because he inherited much more than his other cousins.

Item — To wife Sarah 30 pounds in money, to be paid to her out of my moveable estate, and the one half part of all the rest of my personal estate, together with one-fourth part of my lands, and the westerly end of the house.

Item–To my cousin (Nephew) Alexander Balkcom one-fifth part of all the rest of my moveable estate.

Item–To my four cousins,viz. Aaron, Noah, Daniel & David Arnold, the other one-fifth part of my personal estate.

Item–To my five cousins, viz. Deborah Corray, Martha and Phebe Comstock, Sarah and Mary Balkcom, the other one-fifth part of my personal estate.

Item–To my four cousins, viz. Sarah, John, Deborah and Daniel Hayward, the other one-fifth part of my personal estate.

Item–To my five cousins, viz. Elihu, Tabitha, Esebell, Mary and Levi Hix, the other one-fifth part of my personal estate.

Item–I order my executor to lease out the other one-half part of my land, with the other end of my house which I have not given to my said wife for and during the term of her natural life, and the rest given in the following manner, viz. one-fifth part to my cousin, Alexander Balkcom, one-fifth to my 4 cousins, Aaron, Noah, Daniel and David Arnold, and the other one-fifth to be divided among my aforesaid cousins, in a manner as aforesaid, viz. To my said brother Joseph Balkcom’s daughters (not his sons), and the before-mentioned children of my two sisters, Hannah and Lydia. And after my wife’s death, my executor shall sell all my lands and buildings, and shall bestow the money unto my before-mentioned cousins, (excepting my said brother Joseph Balkcom’s sons) to be divided as follows, one-fifth part to cousin Alexander, and the other four-fifths to be equally divided between my before-mentioned cousins, except my second brother Joseph’s sons.)

CAPT. DANIEL ARNOLD, Executor

5. Freegift Balcom

According to A First Book of the Balcombe Family, Freegift Balcom died unmarried.

He is recorded as buying land of Henry Brown Jr. on October 27, 1704. He died sometime after 1722

At a meeting of the Providence, Rhode Island town council on October 29, 1718, an act was passed to sell “the estate of Freegift Balkcom, a distracted man.” The property was sold on July 7, 1722 to Sam Aldrich for the use of Freegift, 74 acres of land in the town of Providence.

6. Joseph Balcom

Joseph’s wife Phoebe Menden was born in 1678 in Providence, Providence, Rhode Island. Phoebe died in 1733 in Mendon, Worcester, Mass. Mendon was named after a community in England. I wonder if Pheobe was of Mendon rather than named Menden.

Joseph’s name appears in Mendon in 1717 as a town officer. Joseph died at Douglas, Massachusetts, March 5, 1732/33. His children as given below were mentioned in his will. He removed to Mendon in 1717 and settled in the section that became Douglas. The will refers to land in Uxbridge and New Sherborn (Douglas) as the homestead. It provides for the helpless brother Freegift. It mentions common and undivided lands, also a cedar swamp. The homestead was located near Beating pond. All of his sons settled in Douglas. His wife Phebe died in 1732 or later. Their children: Joseph, Jr., called the eldest in his father’s will and given his gun; Samuel, Elijah, Deborah, Phebe, Sarah, Mary, Martha, born May 21, 1714, married Comstock. Joseph Balcom owned land in New Sherborn and Mendon, and appears as a town officer in Mendon in 1717. His will was made in 1732, and he died in 1733. The inventory of his estate was 689 pounds, 3 shillings.

I’m Ronald Balkcom of Cumberland RI. My probable ancestry back to Alex. Sr 1630 is as follows:
Alexander,JR 1666
John 1699
Samuel 1734
Ebenezer 1789
Ebenezer 1819
Herbert E 1852
George W 1903.
This is a great site that I just discovered. I have lots of info; will be willing to share for any corrections, ommisions, history, etc.

I’d love to hear any corrections, ommisions, history you may have about the Balkcom family. As you know, there have been many spellings over history. You can comment on the appropriate page or send me an email at markeminer@gmail.com.

Thank you to Ronald Balkom for forwarding me Robert E Bolkom’s of Lakeland Florida December 1984 article about Elijah Balkcom’s fight for his religious rights. I transcribed, adding pictures, links and commentary. Do you remember learning in elementary school that Antidisestablishmentarianism was the longest word in the English language? I never knew what that word meant. Turns out it was the ideology opposing Elijah in 1781.